FAMILY THANKSGIVING 1940

Crouch farm house with relative's cars 
during Thanksgiving day.

courtesy: Library of Congress

It's amazing to think about what our parents and grandparents did to prepare for a Thanksgiving holiday. Jack Delano, a photographer from the depression era, recorded this set of photos in 1940 at the Crouch family farm in Connecticut. 

Thanksgiving hasn't hardly changed for many folks across our country. Today's technology has added its face but the tradition to gather with friends and family, eat lots of turkey, stuffing, pie, and more while enjoying each other's company is still pretty much the same. 

Crouch family enjoying their Thanksgiving feast.

courtesy: Library of Congress

Young one checking to see if the pudding is done.

courtesy: Library of Congress

Granddaughter placing the homemade pies.

courtesy: Library of Congress

Grandma basting the turkey.

courtesy: Library of Congress

Grandpa slicing the turkey.
courtesy: Library of Congress

Let's eat!


HAPPY THANKSGIVING ONE AND ALL!

more about depression photographers

OCCUPY NATURE -- THANKSGIVING TRUCE

Here is the table I wish I was at for Thanksgiving. One that gave thanks to all of nature with its animate spirit (including turkeys) . I found this print at the Library of Congress. Of course you recognize the toast master -- Theodore Roosevelt, our former President and a well-renown conservationist. He was responsible for saving many of our wild lands that we enjoy today -- such as:

Crater Lake, Oregon

Wind Cave, South Dakota

Sullys Hill, North Dakota

Mesa Verde, Colorado

 Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Oklahoma 

Plus other National Park areas like part of the Grand Canyon.


My wish for Thanksgiving is that these areas will continue to be protected from corporate and political greed so that my grandchildren will be able to sit at a table in the wild just like Teddy did with his animal friends above.

Happy Thanksgiving

THANKSGIVING AND NEW FOOD TRADITIONS IN THE U.S.

FUTURE PUMPKIN PIES?

Tomorrow is a historical food holiday -- Thanksgiving. A time for family to gather and eat a meal that traditionally derives from the past. It usually includes some of the following; ham, turkey, stuffing, vegetables, pumpkin pie, potatoes and cranberries. It is a time to sit down around the table to eat fairly  "good for you food." 


The day after Thanksgiving, many folks return to the present American way of eating which is -- fast foods, soft drinks and junk foods. This present way of eating has been with us since 1980 and the results are obesity in the general population, especially in children. I'm sure you know all this. But why is junk food eating not declining or stopping altogether? Why aren't our children slimming down? Perhaps the answers are to be found in the video below titled Fault Lines: Obesity in America.


One of my favorite blogs on food is -- The Slow Cook -- where writer Ed Bruske takes us through many topics on eating good/bad food especially within the school lunch programs that children in large numbers consume every day. It is an eye-opener blog that tells it like it is. He is one of the persons featured in the video,  Fault Lines: Obesity in America -- one that everyone that eats in the U.S. should view. I have made it available below from youtube. You can also find it on the The Slow Cook site. 


I thank Ed Bruske for providing a blog with such in-depth coverage on what we are allowing to happen to our food systems here in this country. 


Have a great Thanksgiving and be sure and watch the below video, Fault Lines ---